Introduction

There are well-established patterns in American classrooms, some that work well, i.e. encourage students to thoughtfully engage with course topics and some that don't, i.e. enable students and teachers to play what Fried calls "The Game of School." What tools have science educators refined to foster student engagement and learning? One of these tools is the 5E Learning Model.

Why is this important to me as a teacher?

When researchers compared American classrooms with those in other industrialized nations, they found some startling differences. The basic patterns of instruction that students experienced each day differed significantly between the various countries, leading the researchers to recognize that teachers and students in different countries actually exist in very different educational cultures. These findings are summarized in this chapter from the Teaching Gap.

What does this look like in a classroom?

Resources

• An explanation of the 5E Learning Cycle.
• Another explanation of SE Learning Cycle, this one grounded in learning theory. Explains why the 5E Model should work.
• The Greene School in EWG is trying to use a variation of the 5E approach, shown here. What differences/similarities do you see? What questions do you have.
• Learning Cycle Example: MS Earth Science
• Learning Cycle Example: MS Physical Science
• Learning Cycle Example: MS Biology